1993 Ford E-150

The contact owns a 1993 Ford E-150. The contact stated that upon attempting to pull into a parking space and turning the steering wheel, she heard an abnormal sound coming from underneath the front driver's side seat and the steering wheel seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact contacted AAA who inspected the vehicle and informed the contact that the gear box had detached from the subframe. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the front driver's side subframe had three holes and one of the holes had expanded significantly and needed to be welded prior to fastening the gear box to the subframe. The independent mechanic informed the contact that they could not weld the subframe. The dealer was notified and informed the contact that the next availability was in approximately two months. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 FORD E-150. WHILE FUELING THE VEHICLE AT A FUEL STATION, THE FUEL WOULD LEAK OUT FROM THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED FOR HER SAFETY AND CALLED FIRMIN FORD (LOCATED AT 921 E MAIN ST, LAURENS, SC 29360, (864) 682-3111) TO SCHEDULE A DIAGNOSTIC APPOINTMENT. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,000.

I WAS DRIVING ON I-95 WHEN MY VEHICLE STARTED THUMPING AND VIBRATING ERRATICALLY AND STEERING WAS VERY HARD TO CONTROL. I EXITED IMMEDIATELY TO FIND THAT MY TIRE HAD A HUGE BULGE A LITTLE LARGER THAN A SOFTBALL. A MAN STOPPED AND SAID I SHOULD BE OKAY TO DRIVE THE 2 MILES I HAD LEFT TO GET HOME. WHEN I BACKED OUT TO DRIVE HOME THE BULGE POPPED EXPOSING BROKEN PLY CORDS AND TREAD SEPARATION.

DRIVING HOME FROM SHOPPING I BACKED OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AND HEARD A LOUD POPPING SOUND UPON INSPECTION THE 2 MOUNTING BOLTS HOLDING THE GEARBOX TO THE FRAME RAIL HAD SHEARED OFF AND THE 3RD ONE HAD RIPPED THROUGH THE FRAME RAIL COMPLETELY AND DROPPED THE GEARBOX HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED HOME UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THERE ARE STRESS CRACKS AROUND THE MOUNTING HOLES FOR THE GEARBOX BOLTS. *TR

I WAS DRIVING EAST, JUST PAST MONROE, LA, ON I-20 JUST PRIOR TO MILE MARKER 126 WHEN THE RIGHT PASSENGER TIRE CAME OFF MY E150 1993 FORD VAN. I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VAN TO GET IT OFF THE ROAD. THANKFULLY, THE RIM/TIRE, AND BRAKE CALIPER DID NOT HIT A VEHICLE; I FOUND IT ABOUT A HALF MILE PRIOR TO WHERE I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VAN STOPPED. I THOUGHT I A BLOWOUT HAD OCCURRED BUT WHEN I LOOKED, THERE WAS NO RIM OR TIRE ON THE VAN. I BOUGHT THE VAN NEW IN LATE 1992 AND HAVE MAINTAINED IT WELL THROUGHOUT ITS LIFETIME. HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN? JUST PRIOR TO GETTING TO MONROE, THERE WAS A WOBBLE IN THE STEERING LIKE A BIG GUST OF WIND HAD HIT IT OR I HAD STRUCK A RECAP. I GOT OUT AND CHECKED BUT FOUND NOTHING UNUSUAL. I DROVE ON TO MONROE AND ATE LUNCH AT CHILI'S. SHORTLY AFTER GETTING BACK ON I-20 IS WHEN THIS EPISODE HAPPENED. A LOT OF PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED OR KILLED. WEATHER WAS CLEAR WITH LIGHT BREEZE AND NO RAIN. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME. THE VAN WAS TOWED BY AAA BY BEARS TO HIXSON FORD IN MONROE, LA FOR REPAIR WHERE IT IS NOW WAITING. THE WHEEL WELL, PASSENGER DOOR AND VARIOUS TRIM ITEMS WERE ALSO DAMAGE DUE TO THE WHEEL COMING OFF AND HAVING IT TOWED. *TR

FORD RECALL 05S28 OF THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. I WAS CONTACTED BY FORD TO BRING MY E-150 VAN IN FOR A RECALL ON MY SCDS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION TO WADE FORD IN SMYRNA, GA. 30080. THEY DISCONNECTED THE SCDS AND SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PARTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND IT WOULD BE OCT. BEFORE THEY WERE AVAILABLE. I HAVE WAITED PATIENTLY WHILE FORD TOOK THEIR TIME TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I HAVE CALLED EVERY MONTH TO GET MY VEHICLE REPAIRED AND FINALLY ON FEB. 29, 2008 I WAS TOLD BY DAVE CHANCE A SERVICE ADVISOR THAT THEY FINALLY HAD THE PARTS TO MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. THEY ASSURED ME THAT THEY HAD THE PARTS TO MAKE THE REPAIR AND I SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE REPAIR DONE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD TAKE 1 TO 2 HOURS TO DO. MY APPOINTMENT WAS FOR MARCH 4, 2008 AT 8:00 AM. I ARRIVED AT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT 7:45 AM AND WAS CHECKED IN AND TOLD THAT I COULD WAIT IN THEIR WAITING ROOM TILL THEY WERE DONE. AT 8:55 AM THE SERVICE ADVISOR DAVE CHANCE CAME IN TO TELL ME THAT HE WAS SORRY THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PARTS IN TO FIX THE SCDS AND THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. I WAS VERY UPSET WITH THESE PEOPLE AS I WAS GIVEN THE IMPRESSION AND THE NOTICE THAT THEY COULD REPAIR MY SCDS AT THIS TIME. I TOLD THEM THAT MY TIME WAS AS IMPORTANT TO ME AS THEIR TIME WAS TO THEM. THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE THAT IT CAUSED ME, AND WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT THEY SHOULD PAY ME THE SAME HOURLY RATE THAT THEY CHARGE TO WORK AN MY VEHICLE THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD CHANGE MY OIL FOR ME FREE OF CHARGE. I FELT THAT THIS WAS A SLAP IN THE FACE AND THAT THEY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT MY TIME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACTS OWNS A 1993 FORD E150. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN APPLY THE BRAKES FOR THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 128,000. UPDATED 01-16-08. *KB THE MECHANIC STATED THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE. THE CONSUMER HAS CRASHED INTO MAILBOXES CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE SOLD THE VEHICLE. UPDATED *JB